1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to storage containers for elongated materials such as wire or cable, and methods of use thereof More particularly, the present invention relates to a stackable, nestable, and reusable container for elongated materials, which is usable for storing, transporting and dispensing elongated material, and to a method of using same.
2. Background Art
Storage containers for elongate materials are widely used in industrial settings. In particular, large industrial reels are commonly used in shipping and manufacturing. Commonly used types of large industrial reels are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,139,209; 4,967,978; 4,140,289; and 4,032,078. These containers provide excellent storage for large quantities of wire or other elongate materials, and allow for relatively simple dispensing of the elongate materials in a controlled manner through rotation of the reels about their respective central axis. They are however difficult to handle and are often undesirable when smaller elongate material quantities are needed.
Other containers are typically used for shipping and storing smaller quantities of wire or other elongate materials. Commonly used types of smaller containers, which are often made from fibreboard, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,390,790; 4,623,063; and 4,511,037. These containers are easier to handle than large storage reels, but are typically not reusable, and therefore become expensive for large scale use. They are also impractical to use for many industrial applications, because they typically do not allow for simple dispensing of the elongate material
Dekko, U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,269 has disclosed a smaller, disposable container that allows for improved dispensing of elongate materials stored thereon; however, the Dekko disclosure requires the use of special equipment for coiling elongate material on the container, and dispensing the elongate material therefrom. The Dekko patent discloses a flat sheet of material, preferably octagonally shaped fibreboard, having a central opening therethrough. The elongate material is coiled on top of a planar surface of the flat sheet, and bound by bands or straps to the flat sheet for shipping and storage. The Dekko disclosure includes a two-part wire receptacle apparatus that holds the flat sheet while elongate material is coiled thereon, for forming a packaged shipping unit of elongate material. For dispensing the elongate material, the Dekko disclosure requires a second apparatus for retaining the shipping unit and providing for dispensing of the elongate material. Although attempting to address the problems associated with dispensing elongate materials stored on smaller-type disposable containers, the Dekko disclosure falls short by requiring additional apparatus special to coiling and dispensing the elongate material.
In order to reduce the costs associated with disposable containers, Sakai, U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,595, has disclosed a reusable container for the shipping and storage of elongate materials. The Sakai disclosure includes a round tub-shaped container preferably made from a synthetic resin, having a central hole formed in the base of the container, and a central hub, wherein an annular space is formed within the container between hub and the inner container wall. The inner container wall slopes inward such that the top of the inner wall has a larger diameter than the base of the inner wall, which allows the containers to be partially nested within one another when stacked. The outer container wall includes downwardly oriented tabs that extend partially down the outer wall, which tabs limit the amount of nesting when multiple containers are stacked, in order to prevent damage to wire stored in lower containers within the stack.
The Sakai disclosure provides for a stackable, nestable, and reusable container for strong elongate materials that reduces costs associated with disposable, smaller containers, but the Sakai disclosure fails to provide an industrially effective means of dispensing the elongate material. Dispensing the elongate material with the Sakai disclosure is accomplished by merely uncoiling the elongate material from top of the tub-shaped container. Such dispensing method encourages the entire coil of elongate material to undesirably be withdrawn in bulk from the container if any snags occur between strands of elongate material during dispensing. Additionally, the multi-pronged hub of the Sakai disclosure favors snagging of elongate material thereon during dispensing, and the method of stacking Sakai containers wherein hub prongs from lower containers extend into the hub area of the dispensing container, further increases snagging opportunities.
While numerous varieties of containers are known and available for shipping, storing, and dispensing elongate materials of various types, a need still exists for an improved storage and dispensing container for elongate materials. In particular, there is a need for an elongate material container which is stackable for industrial applications and during storage of elongate materials, nestable for shipping and storage when empty, and reusable for cost savings, which allows for simple and efficient dispensing of elongate materials contained therein.